"The Suns enter Thursday's draft with a to-do list that includes strengthening their front line, finding wing scoring and shoring up the backup point-guard spot.

Three tasks, one draft choice.

Though the crop of big men projected to be available at their 13th overall pick puts a lean toward drafting a power forward, the Suns are poised to select a guard if their post preferences vanish or they are able to swing a deal to add a draft pick. The Suns discussed sending center Robin Lopez to Golden State for the No. 11 pick and another player or pick, but those talks are dormant.

Colorado shooting guard Alec Burks, Washington State shooting guard Klay Thompson and BYU point guard Jimmer Fredette have long been on the public radar, but it turns out that Georgia Tech point guard Iman Shumpert also has been on the Suns' radar for a while.

Initially projected as a borderline first-round pick, Shumpert's stock is rising toward the middle of the first round, particularly after he tested athletically as well as anyone at the draft combine in Chicago. He is 6 feet 5 1/2 inches and 222 pounds with a combine-best 42-inch vertical leap.

"If he's going to get on an NBA court early in his career, it's going to be as much on the defensive end," ESPN draft analyst Fran Fraschilla said of Shumpert.

Scouts believe Shumpert, who turns 21 on Monday, can guard point guards and wings. He averaged 5.9 rebounds and 2.7 steals as a junior and denies middle penetration, a massive area of weakness for Phoenix, with his lateral quickness, strength, intensity and length. However, he was an inefficient point guard and poor perimeter shooter for a 13-18 Georgia Tech team."